Transgender Appeals Judge’s Ruling Denying Her Bid to Use Male Name
A Georgia judge who rejected the name change proposed by a transgendered woman who identifies as a man is facing a challenge to his decision.
Columbia County Superior Court Judge J. David Roper had ruled that Rebeccah Elizabeth Feldhaus could not change her name to Rowan Elijah.
“The question presented is whether a female has the salutatory right to change her name to a traditionally and obviously male name,” the judge wrote in March. “The court concludes that she does not have such right.”
“I don’t know anybody named Elijah who’s female,” Roper said, according to a hearing transcript. “I’m not going to do that. I’ve never heard of that. And I know who Elijah was, one of the greatest men that ever lived.”
This week, Roper’s decision came under fire as attorneys for Feldhaus filed papers with the Georgia Court of Appeals to overturn Roper’s ruling.
Feldhaus said in a statement that he felt insulted and objectified to be told he can’t use the name that his family, friends and even co-workers already use.
“It can be a scary situation when I show up for work or the first day of class and my legal name does not match my public presentation and my gender identity,” said Feldhaus, who attended Augusta University. “I just want to change my name so that it reflects who I am.”
Roper had said he did not approve of changing male to female names.
“I will allow a gender-neutral name change that will benefit the general public because I don’t want them to have to go through the embarrassing issue of trying to figure out what to do with you when you present, in your appearance today, with a female name, particularly if you had on a uniform and you were dressed like a man,” Roper told Feldhaus, who is in the Army Reserve. (For more from the author of “Transgender Appeals Judge’s Ruling Denying Her Bid to Use Male Name” please click HERE)
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